“We think it is just a spectacular one-day focused networking event of not only some of the best investors, but we think some of the best entrepreneurs and founders as well as other health care companies in the ecosystem,” Geary said. “ Many of our fund investors will be there; a handful of companies we’ve invested in will be there as well. And we’ve built a great advisory board.”

In the podcast, Geary delves into the decision to focus attention on national healthcare and the Affordable Care Act through interviews: David Blumenthal, MD, president of the Commonwealth Fund, and Jonathan Gruber, Ford Professor of Economics at MIT’s Department of Economics.

“We’ll be a week away from the presidential election, so it’ll be great to start with where are we in terms of the promise of the Affordable Care Act and where is it going,” Geary said. “There’s a dramatic difference in where this may be going depending upon whether we end up with President Trump or President Hillary Clinton.”

The conversation then centered on the many “holes” in health care innovation that firms like Flare Capital Partners, Psilos and our advisory board are trying to fill.

One such area is Behavioral Health. Ann Lamont, managing partner at Oak HC/FT, will lead a discussion in the space.

“Behavioral Health is one of those areas, as we know, where the costs are extraordinarily high, care is given to just a small percentage of the people, so the opportunity is great,” Geary said. “And it’s a big problem in this country that needs to be addressed.”

Steve Kraus, general partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, will lead a panel addressing the “consumerization” of health care. “The consumerization of health care is well underway, not understood by many. And in our view, squarely puts the consumer in the driver’s seat relative to choice and financial responsibility. And of course that triggers everything from transparency all the way through to improved outcomes, with the consumer in charge. And so we’re big believers that the consumerization of health care is changing everything,” Geary stated.

The providers will also be heard. Founding DHIS chairman Brandon Hull, managing partner of Cardinal Health Partners, will lead a discussion on whether 2016 is a breakout year for the Physician ACO.

Geary himself will interview Gary Gottlieb, MD, the former CEO of Boston-based Partners Healthcare and current CEO of Partners in Health.

The innovative side of hospital groups will be examined, added Geary. “Don Trigg, president of Cerner Health Ventures, will lead a panel where he’ll be talking about the importance of innovation in health systems, and [they’ll get] very specific as to what those opportunities are.”

In addition, Charles Koontz, who is president and CEO of the influential GE Healthcare IT and serves as chief digital officer of GE Healthcare, will present a corporate perspective on the seismic changes in health care. “He’s a real thought leader and we’re just thrilled, really thrilled to have him,” Geary said.

Geary told Krupa the conference will “do a deep dive” on the opportunities in health care that exist for artificial intelligence and predictive analytics. “We think this is an area that offers a lot of promise,” he declared. The panel will be lead by Noah Lewis, managing director, healthcare from GE Ventures. Michael Weintraub, president and CEO of Optum Analytics, also will sit on the panel.

“We’ll close with an overview of the public markets and what’s going on in health care technology,” Geary said. George Hill, director of equity research from Deutsche Bank, will make the presentation.

About the Digital Healthcare Innovation Summit The Digital Healthcare Innovation Summit explores how people – armed with the latest technologies and approaches – are redesigning how health care is delivered. This is not a showcase of gadgets but rather an opportunity for influential providers, payers, entrepreneurs, and investors to share how innovation can provide better care for patients at lower costs for the system. Anyone eager to improve patient lives and the state of our health care system should attend.

A follower and fan of medtech for nearly two decades, Tom Salemi is the former bureau chief, venture capital, at Elsevier Business Intelligence, where he oversaw coverage of venture investments in medtech.Prior to working at Elsevier, he served as senior staff writer at Windhover Information and news editor at Dow Jones where he edited the Venture Capital Analyst: Health Care, a monthly newsletter. He also oversaw the daily life science coverage of VentureWire. Before leading those publications, Tom covered Boston’s health care and life science industries for the Boston Business Journal and worked at several newspapers in the Boston area.A lifelong resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Tom graduated from Boston University and still resides in the Boston area with his wife and two sons.

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